Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the world. There are over 170 million diabetics worldwide. And the number of diabetic patients has increased 11% for the last five years. The World Health Organization estimates there will be 300 million diabetic patients by 2025. Currently there is no cure for the disease. Thus, it is critical for diabetic patients to manage and control their disease.
Measuring the concentration of glycated hemoglobin (hemoglobin A1c or GHb A1c) in a patient's blood may provide an indication of the mean glycemic control during a period of several months prior to the measurement. Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) appears to have established a relationship between the measured GHb A1c concentration in a patient's blood and the risks for development and progression of chronic complications of diabetes. Therefore, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends measuring GHb A1c levels in all diabetic patients and recommends specific treatment goals for maintaining particular GHb A1c levels. Additionally, measuring the level of glycated hemoglobin may be especially important for smokers, as the present inventor has recently discovered that nicotine may promote (contribute to) the formation of glycated hemoglobin.
Accordingly, there is a need for a portable device that can quickly and accurately measure the GHb A1c level of a patient's blood in a laboratory, doctor's office, or patient's home.